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Ursarax
The Ursarax (pl. Ursaraxii), or Ursarax Cohort, also sometimes designated Ursurax, are a variation of the far more common Thallax cybernetic troops of the Mechanicum's Ordo Reductor, although they fulfill a very different role on the battlefield as close combat assault specialists. Both Thallaxii and Ursaraxii are no simple Battle-Automata or mind-wiped Servitors but true cybernetic Skitarii who maintain their sense of human initiative and personality, their bodies thoroughly augmented by the bionic crafts of the Mechanicum forge-wrights. Although developed only during the second half of the Great Crusade, the Ursarax design was quickly ratified by the Martian Mechanicum and by the time of the Horus Heresy, many Forge World Taghmata forces outside the Ordo Reductor used the design. History The development of the Ursaraxii can be traced back to a single individual, Magos Explorator Enabrin Falkan who developed the Ursarax Pattern for the need of his own independent Explorator Fleet. Many of his peers initially deemed the Ursaraxii to be nothing more than field-modified versions of the Thallaxii, and while it is true that the Ursaraxii are more the fruit of pre-existing Imperial technology, the Ursarax design also incorporates many of Falkan's own discoveries in the domain of Volkite Weapons and generator output calibration. Admittingly, the first Ursarax were created with materials and patterns taken directly from the Ordo Reductor (much to its displeasure) and transformed into formidable new killing engines by the work of Falkan and his acolytes. Like the Thallax, the Ursarax uses the body of a cybernetically-augmented human as its chassis. Both require the subject to survive the extremely painful implantation procedures of the Lorica Thallax, a heavily mechanised suit of armoured limbs and life support systems not unlike the Power Armour worn by the members of the Adeptus Astartes. The main difference between the Thallax and the Ursarax are their battlefields role: while the Thallax are designated as line or shock troops, the Ursarax are heavy, rapid-moving, close-quarter specialists, line-breakers whose speed and resilience make for excellent combatants in the close quarters of Zone Mortalis fights. Thanks to the conversion of human candidates, the Ursarax maintain their consciousness, which means that they are able to learn and evolve and gain experience as every veteran would do. This provides them with superior tactical abilities and instincts most of the common classes of Battle-Automata lack. The Ursarax also benefit from enhanced neural anasthesia dispensers, which render the Ursarax inure to pain as long as their orders have not been fulfilled. In case of success, these dispensers will also allow the Ursarax to forget the pain of his transformation for a few short solar hours. Following Falkan's mysterious disappearance, his warring acolytes dispersed to many different masters, taking the secrets of the Ursarax's creation with them. Wargear *''Lorica Thallax'' - The Lorica Thallax is a type of Power Armour worn by the Thallax and Ursarax troops of the Mechanicum. Unlike their counterparts among the Legiones Astartes, it was permanently surgically bonded to the body of the wearer. It uses mechanical armatures to replace the primary limbs, and a compact Plasma Reactor core to generate power for the Thallax's weaponry. The armour is fused directly to the spinal cord and nervous system of the wearer, which marks them out as a warrior of the Mechanicum while simultaneously serving as a symbol of their eternal servitude to the Machine God. *'Jump Pack' *'Pair of Lightning Claws' *'Volkite Incinerator' - Located within the chest of each Ursarax, a Volkite Incinerator is a powerful thermal beam-weapon that allows the Ursarax to engage an enemy at short-range. Ursarax Cohorts frequently use their Volkite Incinerators to thin enemy ranks before engaging them at close quarters. The Volkite beam loses much of its power over distance, which has lead the Ursarax to develop a particularly gruesome way to use their ranged weapon in the thick of close-quarter fighting. Once within striking distance, the Ursarax grabs the foe with his powerful claws or embraces it, drawing the victim nearer to his chest-unit before firing his Incinerator at point-blank range. Close-in, the confined ray is particularly devastating and powerful enough to melt even through Power Armour and Tactical Dreadnought Armour. Of more lightly armoured targets, nothing but ashes remain, thus coining the Volkite Incinerator's name. *'Frag Grenades' *'Power Fists (Optional replacement for Lightning Claws)' Sources *''The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 240'' *''The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination'' (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 225 *https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-EU/Ursarax-Cohort-FW Gallery Ursarax02.jpg|An Ursarax Cohort rushing to meet their enemy. Mechanicum Thallax sketch heart.png|An ancient Mechanicum schematic showing the subject's human heart after the bonding of the Lorica Thallax. Mechanicum Thallax sketch head.png|An ancient Mechanicum schematic showing a cut-away view of the Thallax subject's nervous system and head underneath the Lorica Thallax 's sensor dome. Mechanicum Thallax 1.jpg|An ancient Mechanicum cut-away view of the Lorica Thallax bonded to a Thallax. Category:U Category:Adeptus Mechanicus Category:History Category:Imperial History Category:Imperium Category:Imperial Technology